Broom.



PATENTED JULY 17, 1906.

F. W. PENDERGAST.

BROOM.

APPLICATION FILED IEB.25.1905.

6 f -\ANAAW C flit larvae UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 17, 1906.

Application filed February 25, 1905. Serial No. 247,366.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FREDERICK W. PEN- DERGAST, of Waltham, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Brooms, of which the following is a specification.

The object of this invention is to provide a broom adapted for rough and heavy work, such as sweeping street-crossings and cartracks, having the improvements which I will proceed to describe and claim, by which the bristles may be firmly and securely united to the head and the latter connected to the handle in a way to produce a perfectly firm and rigid structure.

Of the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a perspective view of a broom constructed in accordance with my invention, the upper part of the handle being broken away. Fig. 2 represents a sectional view of the same. Fig. 3 represents a fragmentary perspective view of the broom-head. Fig. 4 represents a fragmentary longitudinal section of the same, showing the handle in crosssection.

The same reference characters indicate the same parts in all the figures.

(t represents the head of the broom, which is constructed of a strip of hard wood having holes or sockets b bored at intervals in its lower edge. In these holes the bristles, which consist of bunches c of short lengths of ratan, cane, or other tough and comparatively stiff reeds or grass, are inserted. The bunches are secured in the sockets by means of nails d, driven across the sockets and through the bunches from the sides of the head. The nails enter between the pieces of ratan or other material of which the bunches are made and force them apart from each other toward the walls of the sockets, wedging them tightly and securely therein.

e is the handle, of which the lower end is split or bifurcated, forming resilient branches or divisions e. These are separated and engaged with opposite sides of the head in depressions or mortises f, which are formed centrally in the opposite sides of the head and are made with their bottoms tapering that is, each of the mortises is of greatest depth at the upper edge of the head, and thence to the lower edge the depth gradually diminishes until at the lower edge the bottom of the mortise is flush with the side of the head, and the inclination of the bottoms of the mortises is such as to cause the inner sides of the divisions e to bear squarely against them and frictionally engage throughout the entire width of the head when assembling the parts. Straps g, preferably of sheet metal bowed outwardly, are attached by nails through flanges g to the head upon opposite sides of the mortises, the straps bridging over the mortises from side to side and forming therewith sockets in which the lower ends of the divisions e of the handle are inserted. Preferably the handle is formed from a cylindrical rod, and the convex portions of the straps are constructed with a curvature corresponding to that of the outside of the rod, so that the divisions When in place fit snugly in the sockets, where they are secured by nails or screws h. It will be seen that this construction provides an exceedingly firm union between the head of the broom and the handle, for in the first place the spring of the handle divisions, which are separated and embrace the head, causes them to press firmly on opposite sides, and so frictionally tends to hold the parts temporarily but accurately in their relative positions prior to and during the placing and securing of the straps gand fastenings h. Then the inclinations of the bottoms of the mortises are such that smooth bearings are provided for the divisions upon the sides of the head. The width of the mortises also is as nearly as possible exactly equal to the width of the divisions, so that the side walls 01 of the mortises bear upon the sides of the divisions and prevent wabbling of the legs. Moreover, the said mortises enable the person who is assembling the parts to accurately bring the head and handle together whether that person can see or not. After the divisions of the handle are sprung into the mortises they hold the head and also enable the maker to know, even by feeling alone, just where to apply the straps. Finally, the straps g bear upon the outer surfaces of the divisions and hold them securely in the mortises, from which the nails h prevent them from being withdrawn. Also the connection above described of the bristles with the head while being very simple and easy to make is at the same time very firm and tenacious, from which it will be seen that by my invention I have provided a broom of few parts and simple construction, easily and inexpensively made, but which is yet very durable and firmly constructed.

I claim A broom comprising ahead having mortises in its opposite sides the edges of said mortises forming shoulders, a handle bifurcated at its lower end and formin two resilient branches or divisions adapte to fit said mortises between their shoulders and frictionally grasp the head when assembling,

straps secured to thesides of the head and bridging the mortises and inclosing the lower ends of the divisions of the handle, and fastenings passing through the straps and han- I 5 dle divisions into the head.

In testimony whereof I have aflixed my signature 1n presence of two witnesses.

' his FREDERICK W. X PENDERGAST.

mark

Witnesses:

CHARLES F. BROWN, 3 CARL W. SMITH. 

